The English Kitchen is a series of books published by Prospect Books. Each covers a different and often unusual part of our kitchens; the subjects include building wood-fired ovens, jellies and their moulds and using seaweed in the kitchen. Together with two equally fruit-obsessed friends I have written four books in the series.
Cherries and Mulberries: Growing and Cooking
With Sally Hughes
Cherries and mulberries have much in common: they have both been an important part of man’s diet for thousands of years, they grow on beautiful trees, and, perhaps most importantly, they are both are fleeting visitors to our kitchens in summer. They also have intriguing histories with traditional Japanese cherry blossom festivals and the story of silk, that delicate and highly sought-after product of the humble silkworm. They are both delicate fruits and do not travel well. To get them at their best the simple solution is to grow your own. In the kitchen both fruits are endlessly adaptable, providing the basis for sweet and savoury dishes as well as preserves and drinks and we have included over fifty mouth-watering recipes.
Prospect Book Paperback 2018
Nuts: Growing and Cooking
With Sally Hughes
Nuts are part of our everyday life and language. A tricky problem is ‘a hard nut to crack’, a well-put argument captures the situation ‘in a nutshell’, people ‘go nuts’ or use a ‘sledgehammer to crack a nut’. They are also an essential ingredient in every cuisine from the delicately scented pilau to the Bakewell tart. This little book includes their fascinating histories, advice on foraging and health benefits of the various nuts. Many can be grown in tiny spaces, merely requiring a pot and some sunshine to provide you with a rewarding harvest. Whether you grow, forage or buy nuts, we have included over fifty delectable recipes.
Prospect Books Paperback 2017
Berries: Growing and Cooking
With Sally Hughes
It is all too easy to take berries for granted; they deserve more attentions and respect than we often give them. Since Prehistoric times they have been an important source of food and medicine, in the garden they grow easily and in the kitchen they are all-round performers. As all berries are delicate, the best way to get perfect fruits is to forage locally or grow your own. Many ornamental plants have edible berries, giving you an extra harvest. We cover history, health benefits, foraging and growing. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, come the recipes; over seventy ways to use berries in your kitchen, from Cranberry Roast Ham to Raspberry Brownies and Sloe Gin.
Prospect Books Paperback 2016
Quinces: Growing and Cooking
With Sue Dunster
Out of season quinces are impossible to obtain and even in season they can be hard to find. If you are lucky enough to inherit a quince tree or even an orchard you will have your own supply of fruit but, for many people, there is then the problem of what to do with these rock-hard fruits which cannot be eaten raw. Here we tell the illustrious history of the quince which takes the reader from Greek mythology to nursery rhymes, via the Garden of Eden and some questionable historical home remedies. We show how easily you can grow the trees (even with minimal space) and provide cooking and storage information. The recipes include new and old ideas, ranging from a seventeenth-century savoury pie to modern Turkish delight.
Prospect Books Paperback 2014